Abstract Title

Presenter/Author Information

Keywords

Citizens/Education

Start Date

1-5-2014 5:00 PM

End Date

1-5-2014 6:30 PM

Description

Plastic marine debris is found in coastal and marine waters worldwide. There has been an increase in the study of microplastics, synthetic polymers < 5 mm, throughout the world. Researchers at the Center for Urban Waters, University of Washington Tacoma have collaborated with Sound Experience, a local boat-based environmental education group, trained by our research group on sample collection. This presentation describes the spatial distribution of microplastics from 2012 and 2013 surveys of waters from Puget Sound, Washington collected by Sound Experience. Undergraduate student researchers from the Center for Urban Waters analyzed the environmental samples using a wet-peroxide oxidation method. This survey measured variable concentrations of microplastics in this region’s surface water ranging from 0.05 to 31% microplastics of the dry mass with an average concentration of 7% microplastics of the dry mass.

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May 1st, 5:00 PMMay 1st, 6:30 PM

Characterizing Microplastics of Surface Waters from the Puget Sound, Washington

Room 6C

Plastic marine debris is found in coastal and marine waters worldwide. There has been an increase in the study of microplastics, synthetic polymers < 5 mm, throughout the world. Researchers at the Center for Urban Waters, University of Washington Tacoma have collaborated with Sound Experience, a local boat-based environmental education group, trained by our research group on sample collection. This presentation describes the spatial distribution of microplastics from 2012 and 2013 surveys of waters from Puget Sound, Washington collected by Sound Experience. Undergraduate student researchers from the Center for Urban Waters analyzed the environmental samples using a wet-peroxide oxidation method. This survey measured variable concentrations of microplastics in this region’s surface water ranging from 0.05 to 31% microplastics of the dry mass with an average concentration of 7% microplastics of the dry mass.